U.S. Open ratings soar; NBA up

U.S. Open coverage on Sunday, when Tiger Woods forced Monday’s playoff with Rocco Mediate, got an 8.5 overnight Nielsen rating, the third-best Sunday rating in Open history and 21% higher than last year’s 7.0. NBC televised the round.

But Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Sunday night got a 12.1 national overnight for ABC.

In Los Angeles, the Lakers and the Boston Celtics out-rated the golf, 27.8 to 7.9.

-- Larry Stewart